Hearne ISD
Science
Course: Eighth Grade
Unit: Earth Science
TEKS
Guiding
Questions/
Specificity
Unit Subtopic: Plate Tectonics
8.9 (A)
Guiding Questions:
What natural processes
create observable
Describe the historical
changes/structures on
development of
the Earth’s Surface that
evidence that supports
plate tectonics
enable us to determine
the internal energy
sources present?
Supporting Standard
Assessment
Designated Six Weeks: Fourth Six Weeks
Days to teach: 25 Days
Vocabulary
Instructional
Strategies
Days to teach: 3 days
Examining rocks that form on
either side of the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge provides evidence that
supports the theory of Plate
Tectonics. This is because we
see evidence of plate movement
in the fact that as we look at
rocks farther and farther from
the ridge, the rocks -
Theory of
Continental Drift
APPS:
EarthViewer
Oz Quake
Quake Tracker
iGeology
Mapster
Google Earth
Science Glossary
bTopoMaps – GPS
Essentials
Jog Nog
Science 360
The Weather Channel
NOAA Weather Radar
Stormstruck: A Tale of
Two Homes
HurricanSoftware.com’
s iHurricane Free
Theory of Plate
tectonics
Ocean Floor
spreading
What Earth processes
and catastrophes in
Earth’s history continue
today?
What land features are
the results of gradual
changes?
Specificity:
Thousands of layers of
sedimentary rock
confirm the long history
of the changing surface
of the earth and the
changing life forms
whose remains are
found in successive
layers. The youngest
layers are not always
found on top, because
of folding, breaking,
and uplift of layers.
Revised Spring 2014
Resources/
Weblinks
Alfred Wegener
Supercontinent
a. have higher iron content.
b. are made up of smaller
particles.
c. become thicker and thicker.
d. are consistently older.
Exemplar Lesson
TEKS 8.9A:
“Plate Tectonics”
(Historical Evidence)
Plate tectonic puzzle
Stemscopes
StemScopes 8.9A
http://www.amnh.org/expl
ore/curriculumcollections/dinosaursancient-fossils-newdiscoveries/platetectonics-puzzle
Hearne ISD
Science
Course: Eighth Grade
Unit: Earth Science
TEKS
Guiding
Questions/
Specificity
Assessment
Designated Six Weeks: Fourth Six Weeks
Days to teach: 25 Days
Vocabulary
Instructional
Strategies
(Source: Benchmarks)
Matching coastlines and
similarities in rock types
and life forms
suggest that today’s
continents are separated
parts of what was long a
go a single continent.
(Source: Benchmarks)
Plan to review 6.10A,
build a model to
illustrate the structural
layers of Earth,
including the inner core,
outer core, mantle,
crust, asthenosphere and
lithosphere.
Plan to review 6.10B,
classify rocks as
metamorphic, igneous
or sedimentary by the
processes of their
formation.
Plan to review 6.6C,
test the physical
properties of minerals
including hardness,
color, luster and streak.
Revised Spring 2014
Additional Assessment
Questions
Resources/
Weblinks
Hearne ISD
Science
Course: Eighth Grade
Unit: Earth Science
TEKS
Guiding
Questions/
Specificity
Assessment
Unit Subtopic: Types of Boundaries
Guided Questions:
8.9B
Compare and contrast
Relate plate tectonics to
different types of plate
the formation of crustal
boundaries, and the
features
Readiness Standard
Explain how a volcanic
island is formed.
Specificity:
The earth’s plates sit on
dense, hot, somewhat
melted layer of the earth.
The plates move very
slowly, pressing against
one another in some places
and pulling apart in other
places, sometimes scraping
alongside each other as
they do. Mountains form
as two continental plates,
or ocean plates and
continental plate, press
together.
There are worldwide
patterns to major geologic
events (such as
Revised Spring 2014
Resources/
Weblinks
Days to teach: 4 days
Convergent
boundary
Divergent
boundary
resulting changes in the
crust.
Identify the locations of
the 3 types of plate
boundaries: convergent,
divergent, and transform,
and the crustal changes
that result.
Designated Six Weeks: Fourth Six Weeks
Days to teach: 25 Days
Vocabulary
Instructional
Strategies
Exemplar Lesson
TEKS 8.9B
“Google Earth Lab”
Transform
boundary
Correct answer: D
Stemscopes:
StemScopes 8.9B
Shearing
Convection
currents
Plasticity
Jelly Under You- lab
activity to demonstrate
tectonic plates
Subduction
Mid Atlantic Ridge
San Andreas Fault
Trench
Rift
Ring of Fire
Additional Assessment
Questions
Hearne ISD
Science
Course: Eighth Grade
Unit: Earth Science
TEKS
Guiding
Questions/
Specificity
earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and mountain
building) that coincide
with plate boundaries.
Plan to review 6.10C,
identify the major tectonic
plates.
Plan to review 6.10D,
describe how plate
tectonics causes major
geological events such as
ocean basins, earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions and
mountain building.
Revised Spring 2014
Assessment
Designated Six Weeks: Fourth Six Weeks
Days to teach: 25 Days
Vocabulary
Instructional
Strategies
Resources/
Weblinks
Hearne ISD
Science
Course: Eighth Grade
Unit: Earth Science
TEKS
Guiding
Questions/
Specificity
Unit Subtopic: Topographic Maps
8.9C
Guided Questions;
interpret topographic
Compare and contrast
topographic maps &
maps and satellite views
satellite views,
to identify land and
including how land
erosional features and
predict how these
changes over time.
features may be
reshaped by weathering.
Specificity:
Use of Google Earth for
Readiness Standard
satellite imagery to
identify land and
erosional features.
The earth’s surface is
shaped in part by the
motion of water
(including ice) and wind
over very long times,
which acts to level
mountain ranges.
Rivers and glacial ice
carry off soil and break
down rock, eventually
depositing the material
in sediments or carrying
it in a solution to the
sea.
Revised Spring 2014
Assessment
Designated Six Weeks: Fourth Six Weeks
Days to teach: 25 Days
Vocabulary
Instructional
Strategies
topographic map
Days to teach: 7 days
Lab Activities
Resources/
Weblinks
Stemscopes
contour line
elevation
Contouring Activity #1
Google Earth
erosion
weathering
Creating a Profile
Activity
deposition
Topographic Map
Information
Exemplar Lesson
TEKS 8.9C
“Play Doh Lab”
How to Map and Model
a Rock
Satellite Maps
Additional Assessment
Questions
Hearne ISD
Course: Eighth Grade
Unit: Earth Science
TEKS
Science
Guiding
Questions/
Specificity
Unit Subtopic: Atmospheric Currents
8.10 A
Guided Questions:
What is the energy
recognize that the Sun
source that drives our
provides the energy that
drives convection
weather and our ocean
within the atmosphere
currents?
and oceans, producing
winds and ocean
Specificity:
currents.
Emphasize that the sun
is the source of almost
all of the energy on
Supporting Standard
Earth. 90% of radiant
energy produced by the
sun is visible light or
infrared rays (felt as
heat or thermal energy).
When solar radiation
reaches
Earth, there is an
energy transfer, 45% is
absorbed as heat. In
other words, light
energy gets changed
into heat energy.
Revised Spring 2014
Assessment
Designated Six Weeks: Fourth Six Weeks
Days to teach: 25 Days
Vocabulary
Instructional
Strategies
Resources/
Weblinks
Days to teach: 4 days
The method of heat
transfer that plays a
central role in
transferring heat energy
in the atmosphere and
the ocean is
a. Radiation
b. Reflection
c. Convection
d. Conduction
Stemscopes
Radiant energy
Lab Activities
Heat transfer
Radiation
Conduction
Visualizations for
weather formations
Convection
Energy
transformations
Additional Assessment
Questions
Specific heat
Exemplar Lesson
TEKS: 8.10A
“Convection Currents”
Website:
http://www.classzone.c
om/books/earth_science
/terc/navigation/visualiz
ation.cfm
Hearne ISD
Science
Course: Eighth Grade
Unit: Earth Science
TEKS
Unit Subtopic: Weather
8.10 B
Identify how global
patterns of atmospheric
movement influence
local weather using
weather maps that show
high and low pressures
and fronts.
Supporting Standard
Guiding
Questions/
Specificity
Assessment
Designated Six Weeks: Fourth Six Weeks
Days to teach: 25 Days
Vocabulary
Instructional
Strategies
Resources/
Weblinks
Days to teach: 4 days
Guided Questions:
Identify how global
patterns of atmospheric
movement influence
local weather using
weather maps that show
high and low pressures
and fronts
The general pattern of winds
around a high pressure area
is clockwise, outward. The
general pattern of winds
around a low pressure area is
counterclockwise, inward.
Based on the information
provided, which Texas city
shown will most likely have
winds from the east?
Convection
Energy
Lab Activities
Stemscopes
Transformations
www.weather.com
Ozone Layer
Atmosphere
Troposphere
Show map symbols
for weather: high
pressure, low
pressure, windy, rain,
hurricanes, etc
Hydrosphere
Ionosphere
Thermal Energy
Visualizations for
weather formations
Chemical Energy
a. Abilene
b. Tyler
c. Houston
d. San Antonio
Solar Energy
Nuclear Energy
Mechanical Energy
Additional Assessment
Questions
Cold front
Warm front
Occluded front
Revised Spring 2014
Exemplar Lesson
“Weather Maps”
TEKS 8.10B
Website:
http://www.classzone.c
om/books/earth_science
/terc/navigation/visualiz
ation.cfm
Hearne ISD
Science
Course: Eighth Grade
Unit: Earth Science
TEKS
Guiding
Questions/
Specificity
Unit Subtopic: Role of the Oceans
Guided Questions:
8.10 C
Explain the role of the
identify the role of the
oceans in the formation of
oceans in the formation
weather systems such as a
of weather systems such
hurricane.
as hurricanes
Supporting Standard
Describe the water cycle
and factors that can alter or
disrupt the cycle.
Specificity:
A.Teach map symbols for
weather: High pressure,
low pressure, windy, rain,
hurricane, etc.
B.Show pictures of
hurricanes and how they
seem to develop (Always
forming over oceans, gulf,
etc.)
C. A hurricane is a large
scale cyclone with high
winds, developing over
water! Hurricanes develop
in equatorial areas (warm
water and warm, moist
air), and high speed winds
spiraling in a
counterclockwise
direction.
D. Review a hurricane’s
path & hurricane
forecasting (low pressure
system), these storms are
fed by moisture.
Revised Spring 2014
Assessment
Designated Six Weeks: Fourth Six Weeks
Days to teach: 25 Days
Vocabulary
Instructional
Strategies
El Nino
What is one condition that is
necessary for a hurricane to
form?
a. Warm ocean water
b. A strong cold front
c. Cold ocean water
d. A strong warm
front
Resources/
Weblinks
Days to teach: 3 days
Lab Activities
Stemscopes
Hurricane
Low pressure
High pressure
Hurricane Tracking
Promethean Planet
http://www.promethean
planet.com/en/Resource
s/Item/39674/hurricanetracking
Correct answer: A
Hurricane Book
Additional Assessment
Questions
Exemplar Lesson
TEKS 8.10C
Oceans and Weather
ELPS Student
Expectations:
http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/r
ules/tac/chapter074/ch074
a.html
http://www.oar.noaa.go
v/k12/pdfs/hursall.pdf
Hearne ISD
Science
Course: Eighth Grade
Unit: Earth Science
TEKS
Guiding
Questions/
Specificity
E.Understand convection
and the creation of weather
– uneven heating and
cooling of the Earth’s
surface.
F. Using a weather map,
distinguish between low
pressure and high pressure
systems. Low pressure
usually precedes a cold
front.
Revised Spring 2014
Assessment
Designated Six Weeks: Fourth Six Weeks
Days to teach: 25 Days
Vocabulary
Instructional
Strategies
Resources/
Weblinks
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